About Jodi Kaplan

Is Having a Marketing Plan Enough?

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

I was about to start typing today’s post when the phone rang. The woman was talking so fast I could hardly understand her (and I’m from New York, where we all talk really fast).

Image via Wikipedia

Me: “Whoa, slow down. What is it?”

Caller: “It’s about your merchant account.”

Me: “I don’t have one.”

Caller: “But you want one.”

Me: “No.”

Click.

You can have a great marketing plan. You can identify a niche market, grab a list somewhere, and start making phone calls or sending emails.

But, it will all fail if you’re not solving their problem, rather than yours.

Someone at the company where this woman works decided that they wanted to reach businesses like mine. They created a marketing plan, hired people, and started calling. They never stopped to think whether I needed what they were selling. Or whether a merchant account fit my marketing plan.

I don’t want a merchant account. I’m not a retailer. Paypal is fine.

They’ve just wasted my time, their own employees’ time, and probably quite a bit of money on a marketing plan that won’t work.

Before you start selling your idea, see if your audience wants it. Otherwise, you could end up with a bra dryer or nail polish for cats.

Marketing plan essentials

To be effective, a marketing plan has to start with the audience, not with the product. Then you build out the rest based on what the audience needs.

Start with your ideal client. Who are they? What do they want? What troubles them? What are they afraid of? What do they dream about?
How can you fix those problems? Or fulfill their dreams?
Where can you reach/find them?
What appeals to them and what do they hate?
What tools will you use to reach them and where will you use them?
What offer will you make to them (price, product, terms)

Is Paper Obsolete in a Digital Age?

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Is paper old-fashioned? Are we stuck using analog thinking in a digital world? I usually agree with Seth, but I’m not so sure today.

Image via Wikipedia

He said,

“The simple thank you note, for example, is a long tradition based on the technology of couriers and then the postal service. Of course it arrives three days later, because that’s how long it takes. At first, the email thank you note seems too impersonal, too easy, too digital. Then, we begin to appreciate the speed and it become[s] ubiquitous and then expected.”

I’ve received two notes in the mail recently – from people I’ve never met. Both thanked me for helping them. They were thanking me for my “virtual” gifts (this blog and being a friiiend on triiibes), but I felt that I was the one who had received the presents.

I think in a digital age, paper is, dare I say, remarkable. I have both notes on my desk where I can see them. I’d never print out an email note and keep it – and if I did, it would look and feel like every other piece of paper on my desk.

What if you sent your clients a thank you note (in the mail) occasionally? Or a postcard for no particular reason? Would that stand out from an email?

What do you think?

How to Write Better Ads

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image via Wikipedia

In last week’s post about how to design an ad, I promised that I’d tackle how to write better ads.

The first thing you need to consider when writing ads is the headline. Some prefer to write it first, others last. I tend to put in a placeholder headline and then go back to it later. Sometimes, I just get a great idea straight off; other times I need some headline writing inspiration. Whichever you do, spend more time on the headline than anything else.

Copy before design

Write the copy before you tackle (or hand off) the design. It’s much easier to adjust copy to fit design (say too long for the space) than the other way around. Get it as final as possible before the design stage. If it’s going online keep it in plain text. Microsoft Word makes an awful mess when you upload it to the Web. And, never, ever use the text to HTML feature – that makes an even bigger mess.

Make a dummy

This is called a copywriter’s rough – it’s just a rough indication of where different elements should go (headline, illustration, etc). Be sure to indicate where the headlines and subheads are so that the designer can emphasize them.

It’s not about you

Readers don’t give a fat rat’s fanny about you. When you write your ad, focus on how you can help them with their problem (not how they can help you by buying).

Paint pictures when you write

Not literally, but with words. Show them how your service or product solves that problem. Use emotional triggers, then support the emotions with facts.

Prove it works

Write your ad with testimonials, demonstrations, or other social proof, like millions sold or thousands of subscribers. People don’t want to be “sold,” but they do want to buy. Make it easy for them to decide that your product will help them.

What’s Wrong with These Headlines?

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

newspapers by Dan Brady via Flickr

Do you know one of the most important headline writing rules? And have you been breaking it?

Let’s try a quick test.

Here are some random headlines I took from Google News this morning:

Hunter Mahan wins Bridgestone Invitational with final-round 64

Rwandan president expected to win election handily

The Other Guys’ Captures Audiences at Weekend Box Office

What’s wrong with these headlines?

There’s a common problem with each of these headlines. In fact, every one of them has broken the first rule of writing headlines.

What is that rule?

The primary function of a headline is to arouse interest, entice the reader… and encourage them to keep reading.

Each of these headline writers has failed that test. They’ve all given the entire story away right up front. You can tell instantly who won the tournament, the outcome of the election, and the box office leader that weekend. Anyone seeing the headline already knows what happened, without bothering to read the entire article. There’s no reason to click on the link or read further. That also means there’s no reason to go to the site and read more articles.

Why headlines matter

The purpose of a headline is to get readers thinking or wondering. It piques curiosity. In other words, a good headline is the flag that waves down passers-by and says, “pay attention, you’ll want to know more about this.”

Five times as many people read the headline as the body copy. Five times.

A bad headline depresses interest in reading further. An article or post with headlines like these will get fewer clicks. That also means fewer ad impressions, fewer readers, and fewer potential subscribers or buyers.

Before you write a headline for your ad, or your blog post, think about whether you’re giving the whole story away in that headline.

Do you read these blogs?

Posted on August 6, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

: Image by lyacadajar via Flickr

A collection of blogs that will help you get more traffic, find writing gigs, improve your life as a freelancer, or just make you smile.

Think Traffic – Not enough traffic? Want more? Here are some tips on how to get it.

About Freelance Writing – Need some tips on navigating the world of freelancing? Like where to find writing markets? How to format your manuscript? Anne can help. She also posts freelance writing jobs.

Freelance Folder – Tips on screening your clients, common freelancing mistakes, and upselling (yes, you can!).

The Write Word – Tom Bentley is a dash of John Steinbeck, a heavy dose of Mark Twain, and a gallon of writing magic all his own.